Chapter 25

SG-1 stood together in their own little cluster among the fifty-seven Nihilists that remained--as Fahrn had explained to Jack those days ago in their pursuit of Daniel, Iazi and the Loyalists, the weapons plant raid once again proved to be a significant black hole for the lives of their fellow soldiers. In the attack and subsequent takeover of the depot, the Nihilists had lost close to two hundred people--severely crippling their forces. For the past week or so, nearly everyone had been left out of the loop as Kristof, Fahrn, Syrus and the other higher-ranking soldiers held endless audiences in Kristof's tent, no doubt discussing the very real possibility that in a very short time, their rebellion could be crushed. Now, still an hour before dawn, each of the Nihilists had been summoned.

The quietly chattering crowd went silent as the flap of Kristof's tent was pulled away and the stone-faced decanz, trailed by Fahrn, Elidih, Syrus and four others, emerged. Jack traded a look with Teal'c that plainly displayed their unease with just what might be coming next.

And for good reason. Kristof stepped forward. "We cannot continue at this pace," he announced sombrely. "These past months, we have been losing too many good men and women at too great a rate. This latest revelation disturbs me, as it no doubt disturbs you--that our lost loved ones, vanished for months and cycles on end, have been under our very noses, enslaved by the Destroyers. Our allies from Earth--Teal'c and Carter, particularly--have ensured the Destroyers will take no more of our people as their hosts, killing the queen and her progeny."

Jack gave Teal'c a nudge and an approving nod; Carter had filled him in on what had been found in the weapons depot, and it would surely be less trouble for the people of Frihet if every one of the new larvae and their queen were destroyed. Teal'c simply cocked an eyebrow briefly in his direction. "However," Kristof continued, "the Loyalists will have their full forces on alert from this point on; we've proven ourselves a threat, even with our limited numbers...which is why we have begun planning an all-out attack on the capitol itself." Hushed murmurs and barely restrained gasps rose from the dozens of people gathered around them, and Jack noticed that, from the looks on the face of Syrus, at least, that this decision wasn't unanimous. That surprised him; he'd have thought Syrus would be the one all for a direct attack on the centre of the Loyalists' power. "Do not be alarmed quite yet," Kristof reassured his soldiers. "The attack will not occur for some days...perhaps weeks. We need time to regroup, to plan the assault carefully." 'Ah,' Jack thought. That explained Syrus' disgruntled attitude.

"What do you hope to accomplish, Decanz?" Pege asked from nearby, uncertainty plain on her face. "Today, tomorrow or weeks from now--the outcome will no doubt be the same."

Kristof frowned deeply; Jack noticed how tired the man looked. "From now until we attack we will be scouting each and every road extremely carefully, mapping the Loyalist movement to and from the city...it will be strictly observation, no interference, no engagement. We must relearn each and every one of their movements; seek out each and every weakness to be exposed. By the time we attack, we will know their routine better than they themselves."

"Hopefully," Jack heard Tomas mutter. Kristof turned a sharp glare on him.

"We will know them, Tomas," he said coldly. "You'd do well to give as much help as you can--we need all of you to do your part. This must succeed if we are to drive Jael from his position and insert new, fresh governing parties. Those who do not help--" his gaze flickered from Tomas to SG-1 and back again "--will be dealt with."

"Good pep talk," Daniel murmured from Jack's left. "He must be taking lessons from you."

Jack snorted, waving a vague apology when Kristof turned his way. "Allergies."

Kristof ignored him. "Over the period of the next three days, each of you will be assigned a permanent position in a specialized unit," he informed them. "There will be no more staggered assignments; where you are told to go, you will go. Those in your unit will be your companions during the attack; you must learn each other�s movements and habits, learn as much about them as you know about yourself. That will be key to victory. He waved a hand dismissively, sending them on their way. "Rest up. When the time comes, we will need every ounce of our strength."

No one said a word as Kristof returned to his tent, leaving his lieutenants standing there like statues, watching their fellow soldiers disperse, but Jack heard muttered complaints mixed in with the conversation as they drew away from the meeting. "Some of them don't like this much," he said to his teammates at large.

"I think it's probably just nerves," Daniel observed. "I mean, they can't really want to just jump right in and attack the Loyalists this very moment, can they? The need the rest, and I think it's a good idea to actually know what we're getting into before we go and do it."

"That's true," Carter said, "but look at it from, say, Syrus' perspective. He thinks they have the Loyalists on the run now. Taking such a long break at this critical stage could be fatal if the Loyalists are given time to get back on their feet."

"At least they don't have their weapons plant anymore," Daniel, still trying to be the voice of optimism, volunteered.

Jack sighed. "The weapons plant really wasn't a factor in their war, remember? It's a bunch of zombie-ish Goa'ulds making Goa'uld weapons. Have any of you seen any Loyalists shooting zats and staff weapons any of the time we've been here?"

Daniel frowned. "No," he admitted.

"Then there you go. They had most of their people wiped out for no reason," Jack said simply.

"Destroying any Goa'uld outpost is far from 'no reason', O'Neill," Teal'c said. "We may very well have spared these people further enslavement."

"Won't it take getting rid of the top dog to do that?" Jack asked wryly. Teal'c gave him a quizzical look.

"'Top dog'?"

"The, uh, Goa'uld who comes through the 'gate, Teal'c," Daniel explained, smothering a smile. "The one in charge of this entire thing. Won't he--or she, I suppose--be able to just find a new queen and begin breeding it all over again?"

Teal'c's expression took on a pensive openness. "I do not believe so," he said slowly. "Queens are difficult to find, and they are often so arrogant, determined as they are to begin their own dynasties made up of their own offspring. Very few would consent to such treatment as this one."

"Any idea who it was, Teal'c?" Carter asked. Teal'c shook his head.

"Until the symbiote took on a host and a personality was revealed, no."

"Aww, we should have volunteered," Jack quipped.

Deeply disturbed, Teal'c glanced at O'Neill, but his fledgling understanding of the other man's sense of humour and facial expressions let him know that no reproach was needed. It was, as DanielJackson had described...'sarcasm'. An ironic remark made with the intent to ridicule, Teal'c recalled from the dictionary DanielJackson had allowed him to borrow. Teal'c often found that O'Neill resorted to such remarks when situations were particularly stressful...or when he feared for the safety of one or all the members of his team.

Watching the Nihilists mill about, some watching SG-1 with open contempt and others with undisguised fear as they looked upon their failing ranks, Teal'c began to wish he had more of a grasp on the concept; if it made O'Neill feel more confident, it could do a world of good for each of them to partake.

Chapter 26 -- Two weeks later

Since Sam and Teal'c had been the ones to, as Kristof had put it, 'save their people from total enslavement', they had continually been set in charge of keeping watch over the fallen weapons plant, make sure the 'zombified' Goa'uld stayed within the confines of the former depot, and to document any Loyalist activity. It wasn't the sort of assignment Sam looked forward to being sent on everyday; if lying in wait on the side of a forest road was murder on her nerves and being thrown into fight after fight, battle after battle was slowly fraying her sense of who and what was an enemy on Frihet, then watching the Loyalist-Goa'uld come and go in and out of the underground structure was just...boring. She never thought she'd think it, let alone say it, but she'd much rather prefer an all-out attack to this sneaking around.

"We must remain silent, CaptainCarter," Teal'c whispered as she shifted irritably again, adjusting the covering brush in front of her so she could peer more closely at the weapons plant--why had the rest of them; herself, Fahrn and Pege, been sent, anyway? Teal'c was the only one who could actually make anything out.

"What do you see?" Sam asked him.

"Very little," he murmured. "These Goa'uld are lost without..."

He trailed off, and Sam strained her vision to try and see what had caught his attention. "What, Teal'c? What is it?"

"Someone approaches." Teal'c stiffened, brows knitting together in confusion. "I believe we have, once again, assumed incorrectly, CaptainCarter. It is Achsel."

---

Daniel, alongside Syrus, Arman and Coran, broke cover and ran at full tilt to the walls fifty yards away, firing with little finesse and a lot of desperation into the steadily-advancing mass of 'Loyalists'. He launched himself forward as the tell-tale shriek of the la'tum's fire whizzed precariously close to his head, only to scramble back to his feet and keep running, heart in his throat while he banished the unpleasant thought of the razor-sharp la'tum shrapnel dicing him as he ran.

Why the Nihilists couldn't use some sort of blank ammunition (or none at all, which Daniel would definitely prefer) was beyond him. The playacting Nihilists, moles who had infiltrated the Loyalists and had returned with in-depth knowledge of the enemy, were firing over the heads of the training soldiers, but a shard could still give you a nasty nick if you didn't bother to duck.

It was probably a stupid idea on the part of the Nihilists; while they were still close to the clearing and technically safe from any Loyalists and the moles were picking their shots carefully, if any of the enemy listened closely enough or happened to stumble within earshot, the Nihilists would be vulnerable. Kristof had been adamant to the exercise's necessity, however, and had quickly recalled all of the moles. Syrus hadn't been pleased at all; he'd argued that with the Loyalists on the run they'd be more inclined to draw out new battle plans, but Kristof had decided to collect what information he had while he was at least semi-ahead.

Belly-down among thick foliage with his unit, Daniel started as someone touched his shoulder. He turned to find Jack, all overkill in the enthusiasm department with his painted face, grimacing at him. "You okay?"

Daniel nodded, briefly opening his la'tum's barrel to display his still-full clip. Jack gave him a half-amused, tight smile, his dark eyes nearly invisible in the dark face paint and the lowering sunlight. Beside him, Kristof slithered up and glared at them. "This will be the difficult part," he told them. "The Loyalists have become adept at cone formation; you may think they are giving you a wide berth, but their forces swiftly close in as you go."

"Well that's expected," Jack shot back. "You wouldn't expect them to just stand by and let you pass, would you?"

"They will not know we are nearby," Kristof snarled. "It is merely a warning to you that they are perpetually deployed in this fashion."

"All right," Daniel snapped. "That's enough; let's just get this over with, shall we?"

Kristof smacked Jack on the shoulder and pointed ahead. "With me."

Jack rolled his eyes and gave Daniel another clap on the shoulder as he surged past with Kristof and seven other men. Daniel gave the group a thirty-count before slithering out on his belly, listening to the soft curses of the others as a few were nicked by shards of la'tum fire, the triumphant shouts and laughter of those who hit their 'enemy', and keeping his own weapon firmly in check, wondered again just how he'd managed to get himself dragged into this.

---

"Achsel?" Sam moved closer to Teal'c's side and squinted out over the ruined weapons plant. "The guy who was in charge of the Loyalists that killed Iazi?" 'And very nearly killed Daniel,' she reminded herself, feeling a surge of restlessness that now had nothing to do with boredom and a lot to do with wanting to rip the Loyalist to shreds.

"Indeed," Teal'c murmured. "He appears to be searching for something."

The ant known as Achsel roamed the site of the depot, and from the body language Sam could make out, he didn't seem to be a happy camper.

"Maybe he's angry the Goa'uld had more influence than he thought?" she suggested dubiously. Pege craned her neck to see better.

"More than likely he's one of the Destroyers," she said flippantly. Fahrn glowered at her.

"This is far from amusing," she snapped. Pege gave her a bored look.

"I said no such thing, Fahrn. Achsel being a Destroyer is only half in jest. He certainly has the mentality."

Sam listened to the two women bicker, and leaned closer to Teal'c. "What do you think, Teal'c?"

"In my time here, I have learned not to make judgments lightly, CaptainCarter." His tone was positively forbidding. "With the number of Goa'uld symbiotes, I am unable to determine who has and who hasn't been infested. The idea of Acshel having been made host to a Goa'uld symbiote should be considered a possibility."

Sam shook her head. "But that doesn't make any sense."

"Why not?" Pege asked.

"Because Achsel stood at the Minister's side in the gathering," she pointed out, "and no matter how dishonest you may think your Minister is, he didn't seem at all aware of what's been going on in the weapons plant. If he's so against the Goa'uld taking over your world and is willing to give up a few hosts here and there to leave your world in relative peace, why does Achsel act like his number-one bodyguard?"

"Perhaps he is merely waiting for the opportunity to strike," Teal'c suggested. "Goa'uld have been known to serve those they see as weak until an opportunity presents itself for them to usurp their power."

Sam swallowed. "So in other words, no matter what theory we choose to go with here, there's going to be a hell of a lot of killing before this thing is over. Is that it?"

Teal'c cast her a sympathetic look. "That is precisely 'it', CaptainCarter."

=====
=====

"Well that was fun. Not." Jack followed on the heels of the other Nihilists, all subdued in their return from the training exercise, Daniel at his side.

Daniel fingered his la'tum with a disturbed frown. "You can say that again."

"Carter. Teal'c." Kristof's voice, bordering on pleasure, drew Jack's attention to the head of the ranks. Carter, Teal'c, Fahrn and Pege were waiting impatiently ahead, outside Kristof's tent. "What do you have to report?"

"Decanz, Carter and Teal'c have put forward their suspicions of Achsel's allegiance to the Destroyers," Fahrn announced. "Achsel returned to the weapons plant on his own. I do not believe he was pleased with what he found there."

"So what are we dealing with here?" Jack demanded, pushing his way to the forefront of the gathering. Syrus gave him a pointedly irritated look but didn't say anything. Carter glanced at Teal'c briefly then back to Jack.

"Sir, I think we have to begin thinking about the possibility that either the Minister or this Achsel is a Goa'uld...and that they're responsible for the disappearances of the people on this world."

"Nonsense," Elidih said disbelievingly. "Frihet is safe; the Destroyers removing our people for hosts keeps us that way. The Destroyers come, take our people, and leave. There are none left behind...there can't be."

Just behind him, Daniel sighed. "We can't rule anything out, Elidih. We've seen so many worlds like this--"

"Worlds like this," Elidih threw back at him, voice tinged with desperation. "Not this world. The Destroyers may take our people, but they're taken knowing that we are at least kept free of the others for at least a short time."

Jack turned to her. "It's just not looking that way right now."

The young woman opened her mouth to reply then closed it again before walking away. SG-1 watched her go. "Is she okay?" Carter asked.

Behin stepped forward. "She is fine," he said quietly. "I believe Elidih, much like the rest of us, wishes for nothing to cloud her judgment over the deaths she's seen. We've all seen loved ones lost, taken and killed, and in truth the only thing that sustains us is believing that we are fighting to prevent anymore of our people from being taken. An outside force, we can fight...but if the corruption stems from within our own people..." The boy shook his head slowly. "That would be a blow against which we could not shield ourselves."

---

When the Nihilists gathered for another briefing, Elidih rejoined the ranks, looking none the worse for wear, offering a small, apologetic smile before seating herself next to Sam. Daniel surreptitiously watched the exchange between the two women; Sam's obviously firm reassurance, Elidih's reluctant chuckle. He felt a bit better; Sam had grown fond of the younger woman, and had begun forming similar friendships with a few of the others, including Tomas. Even Teal'c had begun to form a sort of paternal fondness for the boy Behin. Jack had warned Daniel away from getting attached to these people, but if Sam and Teal'c, in all their military mindset, could lapse in that judgment, Daniel didn't feel like his own humanity was such a liability.

Beside him, Jack shifted restlessly, waiting for Kristof, Fahrn and Syrus to leave Kristof's tent and announce what certain death they had in mind for their soldiers. Daniel knew Jack didn't like this war anymore than he himself did, but Jack was willing to go much further than Daniel to ensure a way home for SG-1. Already, Daniel was suspicious that in order for them to make their escape, it would undoubtedly end in bloodshed. Jack was throwing himself into the training exercises, making sure Daniel, Teal'c and Sam did the same. Initially Daniel had chalked up Jack's apparent enthusiasm during the training sessions to the same madness Kristof and Syrus were under, but now he realized that Jack was only trying to ensure that his teammates were well enough prepared for the battles to get themselves out alive and in one piece, and home alive. As it usually did in moments of great duress, that knowledge made Daniel feel better about the situation, to know that the ingrained teamwork mantras hammered into Jack and Sam's minds carried over into every aspect of daily life, and that there were people constantly nearby to lend a hand if Daniel couldn't handle something on his own. It was a feeling that took getting used to; having grown up mainly in the foster system, Daniel was used to spending time on his own, feeling a bit like an outcast, alienated from children his own age.

SG-1 had become his lifeline--a lifeline that, he mused, he would gladly grab onto, especially in the face of such open disdain from some of these Nihilists. Three of those Nihilists emerged from Kristof's tent at that moment, stone-faced in the aftermath of what had sounded like a heated discussion, judging from the nearly inaudible but desperate murmurs that had been audible for the past few hours. With an approving nod from Fahrn, Kristof stepped forward, shrugging one shoulder resignedly. "We go before sunrise in two days' time," he announced solemnly. "If there is indeed an internal threat from the Destroyers, we cannot allow them any sort of foothold in the council or Frihet herself."

"Perfect," Jack muttered. Daniel glanced at him, only to find his friend's expression hard and closed.

"We will infiltrate the Minister's council hall as quickly and cleanly as possible--casualties are a non-issue, however; I wish to make that clear."

Normally Daniel would have protested that statement vehemently, but looking around at the intense faces of the other Nihilists and even his own teammates, he kept his mouth shut.

"Four units of four apiece will infiltrate the Commerce building. The rest will run interference outside the city walls, keeping the Loyalist forces as occupied as you can. Jackson, Clagh and Arta will set charges around the city walls, leading the interference attack."

"Hang on--you're going to send three of them on their own ahead of everyone else?" Jack demanded. "That's not exactly...smart."

"It is either send two or three ahead, or run the risk of losing many more of our soldiers by moving dozens of men and women to the outer walls, in plain sight," Kristof retorted without missing a beat, like he'd been expecting that very argument. His hand casually drifted down to his holstered la'tum. "If you do not think Jackson can handle the simple task of laying charges..."

Daniel rolled his eyes, the somewhat overused threat clear, and put out a hand to stop Jack's inherent retaliation. "That's fine," he said firmly. "It'll be fine."

Kristof smirked at Jack and turned away, continuing his rundown of the upcoming attack, and Daniel shook his head mutely. This was it. They were so close to being able to get home; it was one more fight and it would hopefully be over, for better or for worse.

For the first time before a battle, Daniel smiled.

Chapter 27

"Do you actually think this is going to work?" Daniel asked as he, Jack, Sam and Teal'c huddled in the chilly pre-dawn, staring down the slope where Syrus had led his contingent to the northern path. "I mean...it's a bit of a long shot, isn't it?"

"Sure," Jack agreed, "but what you see as a bit drawback is the biggest thing in our favour."

Daniel blinked. "Which is...?" he prompted dryly.

"These people will go to any lengths to kill one another," Teal'c responded. Jack nodded.

"Bingo."

"Oh right," Daniel feigned enlightenment. "That-that makes perfect sense."

"Think of it as this way," Jack suggested. "Syrus and his suicide squads meander up to the gates, takes out a few of the guards. The Loyalists see the opportunity to kill a hell of a lot of their enemies, and they begin 'driving those enemies back' into the wilderness." Jack nudged him. "You with me?"

"Yeah...but it's pretty convenient, isn't it? The Loyalists are just going to believe that their enemies are walking right up to meet them? They aren't stupid."

"But they are...overconfident," Sam injected. "These people are all the same, Daniel, no matter what their motivations are. The Nihilists see the opportunity to take out a few Loyalists and it's like moths to a flame. We have to count on the fact that the Loyalists will react the same way. Any guards left behind will be nothing more than a skeleton crew."

"We won't have to deal with them anyway," Jack reminded them. "Clagh's already down there getting ready to blast a new gate into the city. We head in through there, warn the civilians off the streets, blend in where we can and make it to the Commerce building."

Daniel frowned. "I still don't like this."

"It is a big risk," Sam agreed, "but it's something we have to do. It's either do this or--"

"Let's not talk about that, okay Carter?"

"Yes sir."

**We are in position.** Syrus' hushed voice came over the radio. A few feet away, Kristof nodded to himself and held out his hand for Jack's radio. With a quiet sigh, Jack handed it over.

"All units move in," Kristof ordered. "After this, no contact between units until the mission is completed. Is that understood?"

"Yes sir," Jack mouthed. He and Carter rose with Kristof, and Arta slithered up to Daniel's side, carrying a satchel identical to his, full of the charges.

"Remember Jackson, Arta," Kristof hissed as they moved to take off, "those charges are not to be detonated until we are ready to make our escape from the city."

"We know," Daniel snapped. "You've told us every five minutes since we left this morning."

"Just do not forget it," Kristof retorted coldly.

=====
=====

"Are you certain you and your people can handle this?" Kristof asked Jack as they followed the set path to Clagh.

Jack rolled his eyes. "Let's just get it over with, shall we?"

"Decanz!" Clagh, a heavyset, squinty man with less sense than a penniless beggar, came thundering through the underbrush. "Charges are set. Waiting for your order."

"Syrus." Kristof keyed the radio.

Three rapid, staticky tocks was the response. "So much for radio silence," Jack muttered to Carter.

"Go," Kristof ordered Clagh. "Cover yourselves," he warned the others.

Jack and Carter crouched low, and a moment later the splintering of wood and the falling of stone was heard. "Now!" Kristof hissed.

The sixteen insurgents darted forward, Kristof leading the way into the city, followed by Jack, Elidih and Tomas. Anticipating a fight, Jack nearly dropped his la'tum at what greeted him inside. "What the f--"

"Where is everyone?" Tomas' voice was taut, nervous.

Sure enough, the city was a virtual ghost town. The units had emerged southeast of the Commerce building, and there wasn't a soul in sight. Kristof grinned broadly. "They wish to lead us into a false sense of security," he announced. "Keep together and keep an eye on the rooftops--the Loyalists have adept snipers. Move."

Jack and Carter stood still as their fellow soldiers moved past silently. "False sense of security," Carter repeated.

"We're just going to...walk into it," Jack finished. They exchanged a glance, and 'home' was transmitted between them. "Let's do it."

=====
=====

"Oh God..."

Jack slowed his pace as their group approached the government's Commerce building. From one of the high-set windows in the front of the building hung a frail, bloody body, its throat cut, sending rivulets of blood down the pale, waxy skin. Beside him, Carter winced. "Isn't that..."

"The Minister," Kristof said gravely, but with triumph colouring his tone. "Someone has done our duty for us."

"And that's...a good thing?" Jack asked. The Nihilists didn't answer him, but surged past at Kristof's wordless order. Jack and Carter hung back, and he seized her upper arm briefly.

"I don't like where this is going," he warned unnecessarily. "Watch your back."

"Yes sir."

The entry hall was void of Loyalist soldiers when Jack, Carter, Kristof and their unit broke through the outer ring of defences. Kristof blessed their luck and the Loyalists' being on the run, while Jack got a more and more uncomfortable feeling in his guts. The Nihilists broke off into groups of four; Jack, Kristof, Elidih and Tomas formed one and headed for the uppermost level, while Carter remained on the ground floor with Nadya, Fahrn and Behin. Two other quartets fanned themselves out on the two middle stories.

"What exactly are we looking for?" Jack hissed to Kristof as the Decanz led the way along the padded floor of the uppermost corridor.

"The council chamber," Kristof said simply, "and Achsel."

"And...where is mister Achsel going to be?" Jack dared to ask.

"Likely inside the council chamber," Elidih replied in a low voice at Jack's side, a few paces ahead of Tomas, who was bringing up the flank, "as no one has reported seeing him in any of the skirmishes outside the city walls."

"So you're just going to kill everyone in connection with your Minister? Murder your way to the top?"

"We must wipe out all ties to the Destroyers," Kristof snapped ruthlessly. "This page of our history must be erased."

A new voice broke into the foursome's hushed conversation. "The only thing that must be erased, Kristof, is you and your pathetic rebellion."

The small rebel unit stopped dead in their tracks as, from the double doors of the head office, stepped a familiar bulky, aristocratic-looking Loyalist...and his unit of twenty-odd soldiers.

"Well shit," Jack said conversationally.

"Drop your weapons, and your deaths may be mercifully quick," Achsel, the smug Decanz of the Loyalist unit, ordered.

Tomas and Elidih obeyed immediately, lowering their la'tums to the carpeted floor and grudgingly raising their hands above their heads. A bit more slowly, Jack followed suit, and Kristof snarled an expletive...before lunging forward.

---

"Rebels!" The shout drove Daniel from his sheltered position near the middle of the eastern city wall and toward Arta's position The Loyalists had no doubt spotted the woman, and Daniel wasn't willing to stick around and wait to see how many Loyalists the alert brought running.

He heard Arta before he saw her, a flurry of breaking twigs, rustling foliage and stumbling footsteps heading toward him before eyes nearly black with panic met his own gaze head-on as he swerved around one thick tree. "Arta," he hissed.

"Jackson." The woman's breath came in harsh pants. "Have they seen you also?"

"Not yet--did they find your explosives?"

"No. I heard them coming and ran; the only thing they saw was me turning tail and fleeing." She grinned in shaky relief. "Where do we go now?"

"I finished planting my share," Daniel said slowly. "I'm not sure if we should wait for Clagh or--" His breath was suddenly forced from his body as he was thrown sideways into the heavy city wall. He was tackled at abdomen level, and a sharp pain shot up his left thigh. Arta's surprised gasp was all he heard above his own thundering heartbeat and frantic panting, and he stared in shock into the eyes of his attacker. The Loyalist was young, more nerves than steely resolve, and the grip he had on Daniel's tunic flexed as though he wasn't sure whether to let go or slam his head into the wall. Daniel tried to communicate through expression alone what he thought was the best option, and as uncertainty warred with anger in the other man's eyes, those eyes suddenly grew wide with horror, and the lean body jerked once against Daniel's chest. He was forced backwards at the abrupt addition of the other man's weight, and Daniel found himself sliding down the wall.

"Jackson." The weight on Daniel's chest was yanked away, and he looked up into Clagh's neutral face. "Are you injured?"

"N-no." Daniel took several steadying breaths, more surprised than frightened, and levered himself to his feet. He limped, wincing as pain stabbed through his leg. "Um...maybe."

"He led with his knife." Arta pulled the four-inch dagger from the grasp of the dead man. "You've been glanced, it seems. Nothing too serious."

Clagh leaned in to look, and Daniel rolled his eyes. "Just my luck."

"We must return to the others," Clagh said. "We will not be much use here rather than there. Are you able to walk?"

Daniel nodded firmly. 'If it means getting the hell away from here, I'd run.'

---

"Kristof, don't!!"

Jack's shout was unheeded, lost in a hail of gunfire as the Loyalists opened fire at their feet, while Kristof twisted his body in midair to roll inside the open door to his left, firing several shots as he went. Blood splattered over the Loyalists near those who were hit, and six men dropped to the floor, some missing hands, arms or legs. The Loyalist Decanz gave a wordless shout of rage and motioned four of his men forward. "Kill one of them," he snapped, "but only one--for now."

Jack instinctively stepped forward, partially obscuring the two younger soldiers behind him, but when the first shot rang out, Elidih gave a strangled cry and fell like a stone, gasping past the pain as her chest bubbled with blood. "Elidih!" Tomas screamed, a horrifying counterpoint to Jack's quiet, stunned "No...". The four chosen Loyalist executioners descended on the fallen woman like vultures, and with six more shots--pure overkill--Elidih was very dead, a bloody, mangled mockery of her vibrant living self. Jack felt tears of grief and rage burn the backs of his eyes--such a waste of a young, deserving life... "You fucking cowardly sons of bitches," he spat venomously at the grinning soldiers, ignoring both Tomas's anguished cries behind him and the pool of blood spreading from Elidih's body to saturate the carpet beneath his feet.

---

"There are too many!" Daniel yelled to Teal'c and Syrus, the two seasoned warriors dishing out cover fire as Daniel, Clagh and Arta ran all-out for the others. The rest of their people had been engaged in a stagnant shoot-out, neither side gaining nor losing ground, in an attempt to keep the Loyalists occupied while the charges had been laid. The archaeologist flung himself forward into cover just behind Teal'c, jarring his leg painfully but resolutely ignoring it. "How are we supposed to hold them off before Jack and Sam get back?"

Teal'c hauled Daniel to his feet, half-dragging him back several paces, firing heavily into the Loyalists. "I am uncertain, DanielJackson," he said grimly. "However we have little choice but to find a way."

---

"If you can't punish the father, punish the child," the Loyalist Decanz said lightly. "Kristof, my dear friend!" he called, taunting. "Your life's light needs you!"

So the Loyalists knew Kristof was Elidih's father, but the other Nihilists didn't? How was it that the enemy knew a truth that was kept from friends? Jack wondered. If he wasn't so occupied with his concern over the otherwise inaction of the Loyalists, he probably would have reflected again on just how screwed up things were on this planet. From the firmness with which Achsel had ordered his men to only kill one of the intruders, the way they'd all automatically focussed on Elidih, it was enough to tell Jack that these soldiers were at least privy to Elidih and Kristof's family tree, and also that the Loyalists desired at least some prisoners of war to...what? Bargain with? Send as sacrifices to the Goa'uld? One or the other, Jack knew, otherwise he knew none of them would have been left standing this long.

Achsel apparently had a good idea of what Kristof was planning because, leaving his own men in the corridor, he melted back into the office to his back. Moments later, weapons' fire inside the office drew the attention of everyone left in the stand-off. Jack quickly recovered from his surprise even as a few of the Loyalists glanced over their shoulders apprehensively; he stooped for his weapon and in a kamikaze move fired heedlessly into the Loyalist ranks, the ones whose attention were still on Jack and Tomas the first to go, the distracted ones still fumbling for their weapons when they were hit. Tomas hissed in pain as he was grazed by a bullet, but launched himself headfirst into the small group of his enemies. Within minutes, the remaining dozen Loyalists were dead.

Jack followed Tomas's desperate rush into the council chamber at a more sedate pace, rounding the corner in time to find Kristof, la'tum primed and ready, aimed at the Loyalist Decanz's forehead. "Achsel," he said with a laugh that sounded more than a bit hysterical. "As it always has, it comes down to you and I."

"I die respected, well loved, and a martyr for the great Durga, Kristof," Achsel spat, chest heaving with present la'tum wounds. "You die impoverished, childless; an outcast. Who wins?"

Jack lunged forward and knocked the barrel of Kristof's weapon down. "Whoa, wait. What the hell are you talking about?" he snapped at Achsel. "A martyr for who?"

Achsel sneered at them. "Durga, who despite your blundering into her domain, will reign supreme over the System Lords. She will rid this world of you and your kind and rebuild."

"You're working for the Goa'uld?" Jack realized disgustedly. "Then I'll bet it's your handiwork that left your Minister outside hanging from his own wall, huh?"

"He was old and weak. Durga would not put up with his mindless 'rule' any longer. I did only what was necessary to ensure her victory."

"Oh? And how did you come about this information?" Jack challenged.

Achsel dug in his breast pocket and pulled out a handheld Goa'uld long-range communication device. Jack's breath caught in his throat. "She has told me so," Achsel said smugly. "And she is coming."

Jack looked away, not even bothering to stop him when Kristof wordlessly pulled the la'tum's trigger. The rebel soldier stared ruthlessly at the ruined body of his counterpart, the other man's head hardly more than an oozing stump, brain matter, bone and blood splattering the wall, the floor, the ceiling and Kristof himself. "I win, Achsel," he said murderously. He looked up at Jack. "He was no martyr, no saint. He was a traitor to his people and a dog servant of the Destroyers."

Jack held out his hands defensively. "Hey, no argument there."

Tomas, looking a little green but victorious, pried the Goa'uld communication device from Achsel's still-warm grasp and handed it to Kristof, who took it and stuffed it in his tunic. He wordlessly spat on Achsel's corpse, stepped carelessly over limbs and bodies littering the entryway, and crossed the hall to Elidih's body.

Jack and Tomas hung back, Jack's memory scorched with the clear memory of another body lying on the once-pristine carpet, another young life snuffed out. But there was no tenderness in this father's touch; Kristof's expression was muted, eyes were blank as he efficiently pulled Elidih's body over his shoulder and made his way for the stairwell. The time for covert escapes was over, it seemed; the Loyalists Achsel had sent in search of Carter and the others knew they were here, and it would just be a matter of outdrawing them when they met again.

Jack took the opportunity in the momentary lull in the action to pull out his radio. "Carter," he called quietly.

**Sir. Are you all right?**

"I'm fine--I take it those soldiers made your position?"

**Yes sir--we were in one of the boardrooms when they came down; we had the element of surprise, but we lost two of our own. We're holed up at the front doors, keeping it clear for you, sir.**

"Good." Jack winced when he saw Tomas' and Kristof's expressions, but determinedly kept up his dialogue with his 2IC, desperately needing normalcy. "Has anyone else joined you?"

**Yes sir--Pege's group is here; they're a little scraped up, but otherwise fine. Jury's still out on Kiran and his unit, though.**

"All right," he sighed. "We're taking the back stairs; see if we can find 'em without drawing too much attention to ourselves. And for Christ's sake, don't shoot us on sight."

Carter chuckled lightly over the radio. **We'll do our best, sir.**

"We cannot waste time searching for Kiran's unit," Kristof said flatly. "We must return to base as quickly as possible."

"Yeah, but there's time to converse with a random Goa'uld soldier before blowing his head to kingdom come?" Jack sniped, emotions and nerves frayed from the hectic day.

"'He' was no 'random soldier'," Kristof said dismissively.

"Then who was he?"

Kristof's grey eyes narrowed, cutting into Jack like a bore. "He was my brother."

Chapter 28

There was a lull in the action, something that unnerved Daniel to no end. The Loyalists that were fighting their way toward the Nihilists were slowly, but steadily beginning to fall back, those at the head of the charge turning to find themselves alone. Without pity, without second thoughts, the Nihilists picked off the stragglers, mercilessly taking advantage of this gift their enemy was bestowing upon them.

"Why are they doing that?" Daniel asked Syrus, finally able to speak in a normal tone after hours of shouting and signalling.

"They realize they are outfought," Syrus crowed, sending another triumphant volley of la'tum fire into the retreating Loyalists. "Kristof must have killed the Decanz of their forces--perhaps the Minister himself!"

'Oh' seemed terribly insufficient of a response, so Daniel remained silent, just exchanging a glance with Teal'c. There was an uneasy pit in his stomach, borderline nauseous, like the feeling one gets stepping tentatively into the eye of a hurricane.

**Daniel, Teal'c, come in.**

The radio on his shoulder made Daniel jump, and he quickly grabbed it. "Jack! You guys okay?"

The radio crackled as Jack sighed, and Daniel could picture him casting a long look over his fellow soldiers. **Most of us,** he replied wearily. **Listen Daniel, we're just inside the Commerce building, and we could probably use some backup to get us out of here.**

"That shouldn't be a problem," Daniel said when Syrus nodded mutely. "The Loyalist contingent we were fighting--"

**'Were'?**

"Yeah, they just took off, headed back to...wherever they go." Daniel felt foolish, not knowing where the Loyalist base was, but this was all he had to go on.

**Probably because we--er, Kristof--just killed their...decanz.** Something was off about Jack's tone. Teal'c noticed it too, judging by the eyebrow that cocked itself in Daniel's direction. The younger man shrugged. **Okay, just try and get out here, huh? We'll be trying the front gates; don't shoot on sight; we have some interesting information to discuss when we get back to base, and I want to be alive to talk about it.**

"Got it. Daniel out."

"It will be simple to get into the city," Syrus said, "but quite another to stay out of sight of snipers and the like. We must tread carefully."

"Of course," Teal'c agreed.

"Gather two dozen men," Syrus ordered. "Our best snipers. We shall need as much backup ourselves as we dare bring for Kristof."

Chapter 29

When Jack and the others made it back to the ground floor, a scattering of dismembered Loyalists were semi-piled near the main doors. "Carter," Jack called quietly.

The familiar blond head poked out from the alcove inside the doors, and a relieved smile briefly crossed her face. "Sir--we had, a uh...little run-in a few minutes ago."

"I can see that, Carter," Jack said wryly. "Everyone okay here?"

"Fahrn is hit," Carter reported, "but we've staunched the bleeding and she should be fine." She caught sight of Kristof, silently carrying the body of his daughter. "Oh God. Is she--"

Jack nodded slowly as Carter's eyes filled. "Are Daniel and the others outside the gates yet?" he asked, gently prying the woman's attention from the corpse of her young friend.

"I'm not sure, sir--I haven't heard any weapons' fire; nothing to indicate whether they're in the city yet or not," she said with a minute shrug.

"Okay...let's book, before more of these good folks show up."

"What about Kiran?" Behin wanted to know.

Jack blinked, unable to find a tactful way to put it, but it turned out that he didn't have to find one. "She is dead; they're all dead," Kristof said emotionlessly. "Go."

"Should we not attempt to bear--"

Kristof stepped forward calmly and swung, his right hand connecting with Behin's nose. "You would risk the lives of the rest of your people?!" he snapped as the younger man fell back, eyes wide. "Move, or you will need someone to bear your body back to base!"

Behin scurried to his feet, still appearing a little appalled at Kristof's unusual attitude, but decided against further confrontation and instead detoured to Fahrn, who grumbled and complained throughout the entire ordeal of being hauled to her feet. "I am a soldier, not a feeble old woman," she snapped. "I can stand without aid!"

"You've lost a lot of blood, Fahrn," Carter pointed out. "No matter how strong you are, it's bound to affect you, and we can't afford to be slowed down by your pride."

Fahrn's eyes narrowed dangerously at Carter's comment, but she nodded tightly and grudgingly allowed Behin to wrap a steadying arm around her waist.

"Good," Jack said brightly. "Daniel and the others are probably waiting for us, so let's get this show on the road, shall we?"

---

"Here they come!" Daniel whispered, catching the glint off Jack's watch. He quickly returned the signal and brought his la'tum to bear, ready to hit any Loyalist that came in sight. Wherever he could see, he could make out the other Nihilists doing the same.

Jack came from the doors of the Commerce building first, and Daniel silently urged him on, stomach in knots, not relishing the thought of his best friend getting cut down in front of him. Carter was coming up behind him, with Behin, supporting Fahrn, between them. Kristof came next--carrying a body, Daniel saw with a sinking heart. Aside from them, only four other Nihilists were with them. They apparently hadn't had a great deal of luck avoiding casualties.

A shot rang out up the avenue and to Daniel's right, and he faintly heard the thump of a falling body hitting some unyielding surface. He kept his eyes on the roofs, and hissed a warning to Teal'c and Syrus at his side when he spotted another. He fired once and the sniper-to-be fell, but not before he got off a shot. Gret, one of the women running flank with Pege, went down with a bullet in her arm, but was hauled up and along by Pege and a man whose name Daniel wasn't sure of.

"Hey kids," Jack whispered as he finally joined them. Daniel couldn't resist a smile at him and Carter, giving each of them a relieved clap on the shoulder. "What happened to you?" Jack asked, pointing at Daniel's reddened thigh.

"Oh, had a bit of a tussle while planting some insurance bombs," Daniel admitted. "It's fine."

"Good to know," Jack said with a weary smile. "We really should catch up when we get 'home'--speaking of which, are we going back yet?"

Daniel frowned. "I don't know," he admitted. "Syrus wanted to take out a few more--"

"No." Kristof's voice was unnaturally loud as he intruded on the hushed conversation. "We are returning to camp now; we will pick up again tomorrow."

Syrus looked livid. "Kristof, we cannot simply break off! We have them on the run!"

"As they will be tomorrow," Kristof snapped. "I assume you've laid the explosives?" When Syrus stared him down mutinously, Kristof narrowed his eyes. "Syrus!"

"Yes," the other man growled reluctantly. "Daniel's unit did it."

"Good," Kristof snapped, and turned to Daniel, who was transfixed on Elidih's body swinging limply over Kristof's shoulder. "Blow them," he ordered.

Daniel blinked. "You're kidding me. We might get hit ourselves; we have to wait--Ah!"

Faster than anyone could react, Kristof swung out at Daniel, connecting with the younger man's cheekbone and left eye, sending his glasses flying. Daniel blinked, disoriented, up at him from the ground, and Kristof stepped up dangerously; he looked the part, too--left side completely bloody from holding his dead daughter, whose body still rested on it, eyes wild, fist raised to deliver a second blow.

"Take it easy," Jack growled, stepping smoothly between Daniel and Kristof. "I'll do it," he snapped at Kristof, "you happy?" He deliberately put his back to the Nihilist leader, crouching in front of Daniel and pulling out the remote for the explosives. "You okay?" he asked in a low voice.

Carter handed Daniel his glasses, and the archaeologist nodded, his face flushed with embarrassment. "Fine."

Jack pulled him up and hit the button on the control with no pomp or circumstance. The entire city seemed to shake with the multiple explosions, and Kristof stepped into the avenue, intending to retrace the path Syrus had led his dozen and a half men along. Syrus stepped ahead of him, restraining him with an arm across his chest. "Are you self-destructive?" he demanded. "You are unarmed!" He gave a shrill whistle, signalling his snipers, and, shaking his head in disgust, led the way out himself.

"I think he is," Carter said quietly. "Self-destructive, that is, sir," she said by way of explanation when she received a triple threat of questioning looks.

"If he is indeed willing to die, it is unsafe under his command," Teal'c observed.

"Come on," Daniel said as the four moved together in a tight formation in the middle of the unit, "his--Elidih--" he glanced around in case anyone had heard his near slip-up, "Elidih was killed," he continued in a hushed tone. "He's entitled to grieve."

"I don't think you have to worry about anyone finding out about Elidih's parentage now, Daniel," Jack said. "I mean, even the Loyalist decanz fella knew it; though, of course, that could've been because they were brothers."

"Brothers? Sir, are you serious?"

"Do I look like I'm joking, Carter? Kristof blew his brother's head to bits!"

"Achsel is dead?"

SG-1 turned to face Fahrn, whose face was alight with pleasure. "Yeah..." Jack said warily.

"Excellent," Fahrn said with grim satisfaction. "Finally he got what has been coming to him for so long."

"Right," Jack drawled skeptically. "Just him?"

"You have no idea what he's done to me," Fahrn snapped.

"I don't know what anyone's done to anyone," Jack told her incredulously, shaking his head rapidly as though clearing it.

"Exactly another reason why we never should have started fighting in this war," Daniel pointed out.

For once, Jack had no answer for him.

Chapter 30

"I don't think it's broken," Carter reported hours later when SG-1 had convened in Jack and Daniel's tent. She was gently palpating Daniel's cheekbone. "Eye looks fine too; you'll have a hell of a black eye and bruise, though."

"Fantastic," Daniel said, eyelids half-open, fighting sleep. "Will you go away now?"

His teammates grinned at each other. "What a pissy soldier you make, Danny Boy," Jack said, and received one finger for his teasing.

"I'll leave you alone in a minute, Daniel; I just have to check out your leg."

"It's fine!" he whined. "Clagh looked at it on the way back from planting the explosives."

"Solid medical diagnosis there," Jack joked, grimacing at the thought of the dopey man giving anyone medical advice...and planting explosives? 'Let's not go there,' he thought.

"Actually sir, he was right," Carter said, sounding impressed. "This is just grazed."

"Told you," Daniel grumbled.

Carter quickly and efficiently bandaged the minor wound and scooted back. "There," Jack said brightly. "Now you can get your beauty rest."

"Mmf." Daniel rolled onto his right side and let his eyes close. "See you in two hours," Jack whispered evilly in his ear.

"Only if you don't want to live to see tomorrow," Daniel mumbled back, and promptly fell asleep.

"How does he do that?" Carter asked enviously, studying her youngest teammate. "Not even I can do that, and I've been a soldier for years."

"I'm telling you, he's GI Joe at heart," Jack said with a grin. He tousled Daniel's hair affectionately. "How about we just be thankful we actually can sleep, all right Captain?" he suggested. "I never thought a clearing would be the safest spot on the entire planet, after all."

"You're right, sir. It's like a bunker here; completely cut--"

"O'Neill!" Teal'c appeared in the flap of the tent. "Come quickly; it is Kristof!"

"--off," Carter finished, and she and Jack barely hesitated, scrambling out of the tent, silently agreeing to let Daniel sleep. The three-quarters of SG-1 ran full-tilt up along the sleeping quarters, stopping on the fringe of the crowd gathered outside Kristof's partition. Syrus was exiting the tent, a solemn expression on his face. "Decanz Kristof is dead," he announced soberly to the stunned Nihilists. "He has taken his own life...like a coward."

Jack, Carter and Teal'c squeezed through the crowd, Jack leading the way past Syrus into the tent, where he promptly skidded to a halt and turned away. "Oh no," Carter groaned. The sight was horrific, to say the least. Kristof certainly hadn't given himself an easy death, his body ending up partially sprawled across Elidih's, the fabric walls coated liberally with blood. SG-1 backed out, coming to a stop in front of Syrus.

"It is with both honour and great sadness that I take the title of Decanz of the Nihilists," the veteran announced.

"Wait a minute here," Jack stepped in, "what about that whole 'popular vote' deal you had going on?"

"This is the popular vote," Syrus said dismissively.

"Elidih informed DanielJackson and myself that very few people support your idea of command, Syrus," Teal'c put in.

Syrus smiled slightly--the first smile SG-1 had seen on his face aside from the eerie, predatory grin he got in the heat of battle. "Elidih disapproved of my ideals, certainly, but the popular vote was closer than you'd think. Now that she's been killed, Kristof knew his tour as Decanz was over."

"What does one have to do with the other?" Jack asked obliviously.

"That should be obvious--Elidih's influence is no longer a factor in Kristof's leadership."

"Elidih was a treasure," Syrus admitted reluctantly. "She won the popular vote when she was twenty years of age, but did not feel ready for command and ceded her power to Kristof. Her belief in him kept him as Decanz for the past three years."

"Why didn't you just get rid of him earlier if no one believed he could lead?" Carter wanted to know.

"He could lead," Fahrn snapped, "you've seen it yourself. He simply wasn't the Decanz our Reformation wanted to see. Elidih's input, however limited by Kristof's ideas, kept this revolution afloat."

"Now if you'll excuse us," Syrus said, "we have our dead to bury."

Chapter 31

Jack and Daniel hovered around their own small fire, watching as the Nihilists across the clearing, led by Syrus, added the more recent dead to their graveyard, laying Elidih and Kristof side by side, a more decorative marker showing their place in the Nihilist ranks. "This is fucked," Jack muttered. Daniel glanced at him in surprise, unnerved by the cold, flat look in his friend's eyes, a sharp contrast to the dark circles indicating Jack's exhaustion.

"Why don't you get some sleep?" Daniel suggested carefully. "I'll keep watch out here; the others will probably be a while yet...it'll be fine."

Jack glared--not at him, Daniel knew, but just glaring for the sake of glaring. "I don't trust them as far as I could throw them underwater," he hissed. "Especially now."

Daniel tentatively reached out to touch his elbow. "They won't get close," he assured Jack. "They can't sneak up on me here; there's too much wide open space. You're completely exhausted, Jack--if Syrus decides to lead the entire unit on a final hurrah, you can't be anything less than the sharpest you can be. Right?"

Jack washed a hand over his face and smiled tightly at Daniel. "I guess. Wake me in three hours."

Daniel nodded and leaned over his journal as Jack rose and headed back to the tent, but was almost immediately taken off guard when a rustling in the tree line close to their tent yielded Tomas, approaching warily but with purpose. "What are you writing?" he asked, crouching on the opposite side of the fire. Daniel felt a pang of empathy for the other man; Tomas' condition was in full swing tonight, all tics and restless shifting. Syrus had probably ordered him away from the more sedate affair of burying the dead.

"I keep a journal of al the planets we visit," Daniel explained, briefly fanning the pages to show how much he'd taken down. "I like to keep track of the cultures, the people..."

"Their stupidity," Tomas blurted savagely. "Do you write about how we will wipe one another off the face of this planet?"

Daniel blinked. "Uh..."

"I apologize," Tomas said quickly. "Bad...bad night. Edgy. I used to write, you know."

"Really?" Daniel's interest was piqued. "What did you write?"

Tomas waved a hand jerkily at the journal. "Same as you. Events, stories--I began a news bulletin that was run weekly," he said proudly.

Closing his journal and leaning forward, Daniel spread his hands in a 'then what happened?' motion. "So--so what happened?"

Tomas shook his head. "Jael stopped allowing me to write when I became ill, when I began raving madness. I moved to the South town, but met Kristof along the way."

"Tomas! There you are." Pege hurried over to Daniel and his companion, tense lines smoothing out from the corners of her eyes and from her forehead. "What are you doing? You know you are not permitted to your wanderings during your spells. I told you to remain in your lean-to while the ceremony was taking place."

"It's all right," Daniel assured her. "We were just talking."

"We must rest," Pege insisted. "Decanz Syrus would like to move out early tomorrow."

"Right..." Daniel muttered.

"Hates you," Tomas said to Daniel as he rose to his feet. "He hates you; all of you. Watch yourselves; be vigilant--he wants to weed out those of us who are impeding the unit."

"Tomas!" Pege groaned, tugging him along.

"Farewell, Daniel," Tomas said quietly, and he sounded the sanest Daniel had ever heard him. "Give Sam my regards; I go knowing I carried on our fight as long as I was able."

As Pege pulled Tomas away, Daniel couldn't tear his eyes away from Tomas' enigmatic, knowingly bittersweet smile, nor make his mouth work properly to form more than incoherent grunts of stuttering questions. "What--Pege?" he called. What was going on?

But Pege waved off Daniel's concern absently. "I apologize, Daniel," she said. "This is one of the worst spells to date. He knows not what he says."

"I do!" Tomas protested. "Do yourselves a favour, Daniel--leave this place; take your chances waiting for the Destroyers in the forest!"

Unable to silence Tomas' warnings, insanity or not, Daniel whipped open the flap of his tent and shook Jack awake when Pege had herded Tomas out of sight. "Jack. Jack, wake up!"

"What--what is it?" Jack opened one eye and eased back a bit to peer at him through the darkness. "Daniel? My watch already?"

"Not exactly," Daniel whispered. "We have to get out of here; and I mean ten minutes ago."

---

"Daniel, Tomas is sick," Carter reminded Daniel. "I like him too, but what he was saying is just more of his ravings."

But Daniel shook his head firmly; Jack sighed. "I don't think so, Sam," he said quietly. "I got this...weird feeling; it's like I know he's right, that something very bad is going to happen."

"Daniel, why would they just randomly kill Tomas? He's been a big help to them," Jack argued quietly.

"I don't know; you said it yourself, Jack--these people aren't above euthanasia, and we all know that Syrus has a more...direct approach to things than Kristof. For all we know, this could be his way of weeding out the weak and keeping the strong. And if Tomas is going down; there's no doubt that his next target is going to be--"

"All right; hold up right there," Jack said, slashing a hand through the air. "I told you, no one's killing any of us without a hell of a fight. You're not even weak; you've proven yourself time and time again..."

"And Syrus still blames me for ruining the mission three weeks ago," Daniel pointed out. "He's never going to forget that; you know that yourself, Jack. He won't stop trying to get rid of me. I've done more harm than good for them in his eyes, and in his weeding, he'll try for me." Daniel shrugged resignedly. "All I know is, if Syrus is planning one last swoop in the city, I don't want to be a part of it."

Carter glanced at him. "Daniel, we don't--"

"No," he said firmly. "This is it. At least with Kristof there was some semblance of sanity. This guy...he's a grade-A whackjob, and you know it. He's going to get every one of us killed before they get any more leverage on the Loyalists. I say we cut our losses and try to go it alone."

"I agree with DanielJackson," Teal'c jumped in strongly. "I am weary of these people. Never before have I fought in a war in which I feared for my own life among my own allies. They cannot be trusted."

"I know where you're coming from," Jack placated, "but what about that whole 'with us or against us' thing they've got going on? I doubt we'll even make it past the edge of camp before we're shot down."

"That would have been the case two months ago," Carter agreed, "when we first arrived. But we've made friends since then--yes, sir, we have," she said when Jack slid her a withering look. "Like it or not, we've become close to some of these people, and they agree with our standpoint on a lot of issues."

"Talked a lot of politics with your new friends?" Jack quipped.

Carter shrugged listlessly. "It's amazing what people are willing to talk about while waiting to kill an entire contingent of enemy soldiers," she commented. "The point is, we have people who support us; people who will watch our backs if we decide to take off."

Jack pondered the arguments carefully, weighing the consequences of each choice though his own brain screamed at him to take his teammates' advice and get the hell out of Dodge. "So..." he drawled. "Do we leave good ol' Syrus a note? Get our continental breakfast before we move; what?"

Carter and Daniel exchanged relieved smiles. "We owe them some form of explanation," Daniel said with renewed vigour. "If we give them a reason, they might not take so...unkindly to our departure."

Jack jabbed a finger in his direction. "Good thinking. Get your gear; the minute we can get out, we're out."

=====

SG-1 marched up to Syrus and Fahrn the next morning with iron wills and determination. "Syrus," Jack called.

The grizzled man turned with a look of annoyance and frowned deeply at the approach of the four off-worlders. "What do you want?" he snapped. "We are nearly ready to move out. Assemble your units."

Jack held up a finger. "I...don't think so," he said. "We're out."

Fahrn and Syrus exchanged darkly amused looks. "What?" Syrus asked flatly.

"You heard me. I said we're out. As in, gone. Out of here. Finito."

"Kristof told you what would happen if you attempted to betray us," Syrus said dangerously.

"Well you see, that's the thing--we're not 'betraying' you. We're getting out while we can still escape with our lives. We'll be taking our leave of you, of your Loyalist buddies--hopefully of this entire, fucked-up war." Jack pointed roughly in the direction they'd be going. "We're going to the Stargate. We'll wait for the Goa'uld there--when they arrive, we'll take care of them."

"So you are still intending to continue with the war," Fahrn corrected. Jack shook his head.

"No. There's a big difference between fighting this war with you folks and just getting rid of another snakehead. Us killing the Goa'uld will free you and your people to murder as many of each other as you'd like to. Just leave us out of it."

Syrus lunged forward, seizing Jack by the collar. The rest of SG-1 stiffened, but Jack held up a hand, keeping them back, and just met Syrus' furious gaze calmly. "I should kill you where you stand, O'Neill," he snarled.

Fahrn tore one of Syrus' hands from Jack's tunic. "You will not," she ordered. "Leave them be; they've done all they can or will for us."

"They are traitors," Syrus hissed venomously.

"They are their own people," Pege corrected. "They have gone above and beyond what we have asked them to do. Leave them be."

Syrus glared at Jack, his gaze slowly shifting over each of his teammates as if memorizing their faces. "Very well," he said coldly. "But be forewarned--when the Destroyers arrive you will be the first to be eliminated. We will not run to your side, just as you will not fight at ours now." He leaned forward into Jack's space. "And know this: if we ever meet again, you will not survive the encounter."

Jack smirked at him. "I'll keep that in mind. C'mon kids; let's get outta here."

=====

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